December 2012 Washington Wizards Wiretap

Trevor Ariza has missed the past 13 games with a calf injury but is expected to practice with the Washington Wizards this upcoming week.

“He’s coming along good,” Wittman said of Ariza, who strained his left calf in the third quarter of the Wizards’ stunning 105-101 victory over the Miami Heat on Dec. 4. “We’ll see how the next couple of games, go. He’s still got a little tightness in there.”

A.J. Price, who's recovering from a broken hand, is likely at least another week away from basketball-related activities.

John Wall doesn't have a specific date for his return from knee injury, but does expect to return sometime in January.

"My timetable is some time in January," Wall told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday night. "The way I am feeling with no pain, working out and doing it three [days straight] and it has no pain, I'm feeling good. I feel like I am taking the right steps and I haven't had no pain the last couple of days after workouts."

Wall has a clear idea of what will signify his readiness to return to the floor.

"When I feel like I can run and do everything like I used to, cut, jump like I used to, run fast like I used to," Wall said. "And I feel like I am getting closer and closer to those steps."

The Washington Wizards have officially signed guards Shelvin Mack and Garrett Temple, the team announced on Wednesday.

Mack was originally selected by Washington with the 34th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. In 11 games this season with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League, he has averaged 19.7 points and a D-League best 7.5 assists in 40.7 minutes per contest.

Temple was undrafted out of LSU in 2009. In nine games this season with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League, he has averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 36 minutes per contest.

The Washington Wizards are 3-22 on the season and turmoil amongst the players is increasing.

"It's like there's a cancer in here," said one player.

There exists a lack of accountability among the players, according to sources.

"When you play with confidence, and you're together, it's different," Nene said. "You feel, you know your teammates know you, and you give your best. But right here, right now, it's the opposite. Total opposite."

Nene is still on a minutes limit for the Washington Wizards due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, having played under 25 minutes in 10 out of his last 11 games, including the past nine.

The Wizards will determine if Nene is prepared for an increase in minutes during the team's next stretch of four games in five nights.

“You don’t want to add minutes to a brutal schedule. We’ll see when we get through this schedule here, after Christmas, seeing where we’re at in terms of adding,” said Wittman, who has found it difficult to monitor Nene's minutes. “But yeah, I anticipate that’s the direction we’re headed in, of those minutes starting to increase.”

John Wall spoke publicly for the first time in more than a month on Monday, giving an update on his injured left knee.

Wall visited with an orthopedic surgeon on Friday, receiving a third Synvisc injection and was told he can begin to increase his basketball-related activity.

“I got more like a smile on my face, a little bit,” Wall said.

Wall admitted Monday he has developed cartilage damage underneath his left patella.

“I’m not thinking like that,” Wall said, when asked if it would be better for him to sit out the entire season. “Hopefully the time I’ve taken off and the shots I got and the treatment I’ve been getting is helping me get healthy so I can play basketball this season. You don’t want to miss a whole season. If it comes to it, you have to, but I’m trying not to think that far ahead.”

John Wall had his left knee examined on Friday, and the Washington Wizards revealed that Wall can now increase his activity level.

“John’s examination today showed improvement in his stress injury that will allow him to begin ramping up his activity level," Dr. David Altchek said in a statement. "There is still some irritation in the knee which we have treated over his last several visits with a series of three lubricating Synvisc injections, the last of which was given today. He will continue to be evaluated on an ongoing basis.”

Wall will now start to run and jump in an effort to elevate his training.

Wall has not played for the Wizards yet this season because of a stress injury in his left knee.

Ted Leonsis responded to a report from the Washington Post that indicated he rejected the concept of trading for James Harden due to reservations about giving him a five-year, $80 million max contract.